Riverine Forces of Ransenar
The Riverine Forces of Ransenar, initially designated as the Ransenari Elwynn River Afloat Force, and later the Riverines, was the brown water Navy of the Kingdom of Ransenar, limited to operations along the Ransenari-controlled shores of the Elwynn river.
History
The Riverine Forces started as a was a joint Ransenari Army-Navy venture, established on the bedrock of experience that some of those who served in the Imperial Forces had accumulated in their service along the Elwynn river and in the War of Lost Brothers. The primary focus of the Force initially had been to build the interdiction capabilities of the Kingdom of Ransenar along the eastern coasts and the shores of the Elwynn river. Later on, the mission itself was focused to “patrol the inland waterways.” The early Naval advisors faced significant equipment challenges due to the lack of coastal or riverine crafts in the Ransenari inventory.
In addition to the dearth of equipment, there was a surprising lack of doctrine given the history of “brown water” warfare, as river fighting has occasionally been referred to. The nascent Riverine Forces looked to the earlier experience of the Shirerithian Imperial Forces and to the talents of the Caputian diaspora for inspiration. The Caputian experience during its civil war provided a more immediate blueprint for the basis of Ransenari riverine operations in the Elwynn.
ESB military advisors were the first to operate in any appreciable number on behalf of the Kingdom of Ransenar as the newly established country procured, recovered, or confiscated a collection of armed river vessels, many being ex-Imperial vessels which had gone "freelance" after the Kalirion Fracture. ESB oversight saw a motley collection of vessels, 23 patrol boats, 8 cutters, 8 minesweepers, and 4 assault ships, crewed and organized into the Riverine Forces where they would eventually conduct combat operations. The Riverine Forces gained experience during 1674 by operating along the mid-course of the Elwynn interdicting any infiltration attempts and interdicting enemy lines of communications along the riverways. While there were both tactical and operational successes as the Riverine Forces grew, the exclusively naval force did not have the ability to project combat power onto the riverbanks and shoreline beyond the distance that a bullet or mortar round could encompass.
Between 1674 and 1677 AN, the Riverine Forces developed its river flotillas and began the standing up of a dedicated naval assault division. Organized for transportation and patrolling, the flotillas could support roughly a battalion-sized element. In 1674, the official headquarters of the Riverine Forces were established in Tyrelwynn, created entirely by dredging sand from the Elwynn. In this way, military and civilian Ransenari engineers established a strong foothold from which the Riverine Forces could conduct operations. Further research and development allowed the Riverine Forces to establish mobile operating bases. This helped defuse the narrative that the Riverine Forces were seizing portions of what little land was available along the river in the heavily agricultural country.
Following the accession of Ransenar to the Benacian Union in 1711 AN the personnel of the Riverine Forces were transferred into the Benacian Union Defence Force as eight "riverine infantry" regiments under the Ransenari Grouping of Forces.
Structure and Organization
Concept of operations
The Riverine Forces of Ransenar were originally conceived as providing an all-weather protection and "strike" capability in the Ransenari-controlled shores of the Elwynn river. Strike forces are organizationally different from interdiction and patrol forces in the Riverine Forces.
Command Structure
Fleet
Current ships
Personnel
As a result of popular mobilisation during the "Crisco Crisis" the Riverine Forces swelled during the period 1673–1675 AN to far surpass the Navy of Ransenar in size, attracting 54,543 volunteers to the banners, the majority of whom were assigned to small boats and shore observation posts. As of 1675 the Flotillas were manned by a force of 4,774 salaried Rivermen, whilst a further 4,737 recruits, drawn from the were undergoing training at Teldrin to embody the planned naval assault division.
